The present invention relates generally to the area of image acquisition and processing, and in particular to image acquisition and processing performed by semiconductor devices.
Various video acquisition systems including cameras and video recorders are known in the art. Advanced versions of such systems include arrays of pixels, such as charged coupled devices, to detect an image and convert the image to an electrical signal. Such devices can be powered by an external power source, or by a battery pack. The power required by such devices often dictates the inclusion of a relatively large battery, where the power source is a battery. In some cases,. even a large battery is insufficient to provide for prolonged use. It may not be possible to include a large battery in newer imaging devices. Furthermore, it may be desirable to implement various compression algorithms to reduce the bandwidth required to transmit a processed image. Such compression algorithms can require separate processors that each consume power in addition to the power required to acquire and process an image.
Thus, there exists a need in the art to address these power related limitations. The present invention addresses these limitations along with providing a variety of other novel advances.